Law enforcement officers come in different attires, jurisdictions, and set of duties. Some officers patrol urban areas. Some are tasked with fact-finding and investigating individual cases. Some are in charge to enforce environmental laws. No matter what your choice is, a law enforcement career is a rewarding and noble job.

SWAT Professionals

SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) professionals engage in high-risk operations such as serving search warrants, hostage rescue operations, and counter-terrorism. SWAT is considered an elite force consisting of highly-skilled officers who are highly trained in use of specialized weapons, medical response, and rescue tactics. It’s one of the toughest law enforcement jobs to pass as they pick out only the best of the best.

To be able to apply for a SWAT career, most jurisdictions require that you have a college degree. You need to have served as a police officer or patrol officer for a defined number of years. Once accepted, you will be required to attend a police academy. If you maintain good record and show the ability to handle SWAT duties, you may be accepted to a SWAT team.

Police Professionals

There are many types of police officers. They are tasked with general law enforcement duties such as patrolling highways or giving first aid to an accident victim.

• Local police: This includes tribal, municipal, county, or regional police. Their role is to enforce jurisdiction laws, patrol communities, respond to burglaries, or investigate local crimes.
• Highway patrol: They patrol highways to ensure that citizens follow traffic laws. They handle traffic violations, redirect traffic, ticket law-breaking motorists, and respond to highway accidents. Some also have statewide investigative functions. If crimes or emergencies are beyond the jurisdiction of a local agency, state police extends their resources.
• Fish and game warden: They are in charge of enforcing laws in rural and wilderness areas. They make sure that environmental laws pertaining to hunting, fishing, and boating are observed.
• Sheriff/Deputy sheriff: Sheriffs are elected by the state to enforce laws at the county level. Their duties include running of local jail, serving warrants, serving as court bailiff, and extraditing prisoners.
• Detectives: They investigate crimes, particularly homicide, murder, and fraud.

Cyber Crimes

In the age of Internet technology, cyber crimes have become rampant. Thus, there’s also a growing need for law enforcement officers who are adept in computer forensics. Cyber crime specialists investigate illegal activities such as online fraud, phishing, hacking, and online child sexual exploitation.

Sources:

• www.policeemployment.com/resources
• criminal-justice-jobs.org/law-enforcement-jobs